Concentration Plan of Study CPS

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Concentration Plan of Study(CPS)

• Getting Started

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The CPS Process

• The CPS process can help you plan your
  concentration with confidence.
• You will work closely with your Academic Advisor
  to prepare a program for faculty review.
• Faculty review and approval of the CPS ensures
  that you are earning the credits needed to
  support your educational goals and that your
  program is on the right track.
• Dont worry changes and substitutions to the CPS
  course list are possible and expected.

3
Components of the CPS

• Whats in your CPS?
• Current resume
• List of courses completed and proposed
• Rationale

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Resume

• The faculty use your resume to get a better
  understanding of your work experience and your
  interests.
• You are welcome to use an existing resume, but if
  you do not already have one, these websites can
  help you
• http//www.resume-help.org/resume_writing_tips.ht
  m
• http//www.rockportinstitute.com/resumes.html
• http//www.jobweb.com/resumesample.aspx?id85
  8
• http//webster.commnet.edu/resume/resume.htm

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Course List

• Building your CPS course list
• A concentration is similar to a major. It can
  include a single subject area, such as psychology
  or literature, or it can be interdisciplinary.
  COSC refers to interdisciplinary concentrations
  as Individualized or Liberal Studies.
• All concentrations must include a minimum of 36
  credits and generally includes no more than 42-45
  credits.
• Concentrations must contain a minimum of 15 upper
  level credits for single subject area
  concentrations. However Individualized/Liberal
  Studies concentrations must include a minimum of
  18 upper level credits.

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Your CPS Course List

• Next steps
• Reflect on your goals and objectives for earning
  your degree.
• Use your status report to review what you have
  already accomplished. Note
• Subject areas where you have multiple courses
• Areas where you have earned upper level credit

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Your CPS Course List, cont.

• Do any of these areas support your current goals
  and interests for your degree?
• Are you interested in a concentration focused on
  a single subject area?
• Does the interdisciplinary Individualized or
  Liberal Studies concentration make more sense for
  you?
• Discuss your interests with your Academic Advisor
  and review course plan drafts prepared for your
  review.

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Choosing your CPS Format

• Once you finalize your decision to complete
  either a single subject area or an
  interdisciplinary concentration you can develop
  your course list.
• Complete your single subject area concentration
  form, entering earned and proposed credits to
  satisfy the requirements.
• If you would like help filling out the form, take
  a look at the tips on completing a concentration
  in this orientation.

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Your Individualized/ Liberal Studies CPS List

• You may choose to combine credits from several
  disciplines or subject areas to form your
  concentration.
• There needs to be a relationship among the
  selections youve made with a clear and definable
  focus.
• The program should be cohesive rather than a
  random selection of courses.
• Bring together courses that make sense in terms
  of your goals and objectives.
• For example, you may choose to combine management
  and technology credits to support a goal for
  moving into a supervisory position within the
  technology field.

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Rationale

• Now that you have your course list you can
  complete your rationale
• Goals a brief statement of your personal or
  professional goals for the degree
• Course list discussion - discuss the courses you
  included in your concentration course list in
  100-300 words.
• Your questions and comments for the faculty
  optional

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Goals

• Articulate your goal(s) for completing the
  degree. Your response to this question may be
  simple and short.
• You might state that you are finishing your
  degree in order to move on to a graduate
  program.
• Or, your reasons may be more complex, but take
  the time to explain, the faculty will be
  interested.

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Course List Discussion

• For single subject area concentrations discuss
  either
• Key courses in your concentration or
• Electives you have included in your
  concentration.
• For individualized or liberal studies explain the
  focus of your concentration and the manner in
  which the courses you have selected fit into your
  plan of study.
• Your answer demonstrates that you have selected
  these courses based on your vision for the
  concentration.
• Discuss how you relate the separate disciplines
  into a cohesive plan of study.

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Questions for Faculty

• This is an excellent opportunity to ask the
  experts in your subject matter area(s) for their
  advice.
• For example
• Planning a career change you might ask about
  electives to enhance your marketability in your
  new career
• Professional organizations in your area of
  interest
• Graduate Programs - prerequisites

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Dos and Donts

• Do
• Use your status report as a resource when filling
  out the CPS form. It contains all the detailed
  information you need to complete the form
  correctly. Do be honest in your goal statement.
• Construct the rationale with care so that it will
  represent you well to the faculty. Be sure to
  proofread and use college-level writing skills.

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Dos and Donts, cont.

• Do
• Be honest in your goal statement. If your pursuit
  of a degree has nothing to do with your
  professional life but rather satisfies your
  intellectual curiosity or fulfills a life long
  dream, say so.
• Accurately identify the degree that youre
  pursuing.
• Bachelor of Science with a concentration in
  Business Administration
• Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Liberal
  Studies

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Dos and Donts, cont.

• Dont
• Propose a list of courses with no focus.
• Write about courses that are not on your
  concentration list. This document must focus only
  on the concentration credits.
• Identify your Individualized or Liberal Studies
  concentration as a degree in the included subject
  area.

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Dos and Donts, cont.

• Dont
• Confuse the focus with the name of your
  concentration. An Individualized Studies
  concentration that combines sociology and
  education is not called a Sociology and Education
  concentration. It is an Individualized Studies
  concentration.

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The Timeline

• As soon as you hear from your advisor, you can
  begin work on your CPS. Your advisor will
  provide you with a draft to consider.
• Within the first three months of your
  matriculation, we recommend you prepare your CPS
  for faculty review.
• Send a complete (resume, course list, and
  rationale) concentration proposal to your advisor
  electronically.

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Timeline, cont.

• Your advisor will forward it for distribution to
  faculty.
• Allow at least two weeks for faculty feedback.
• When approved, you may move ahead with
  confidence.

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Revisions

• You may find that you need to make a change to
  your approved concentration.
• Make sure you talk to your Academic Advisor
  before you invest in the course and make any
  changes.
• You advisor will work with you to make
  adjustments to meet you needs.

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Resources

• Your Student Handbook contains requirements for
  all concentrations.
• The COSC Catalog and Student Handbook contain
  outcomes for each concentration which will assist
  you in preparing a strong rationale.
• CPS forms are located on the COSC website at
• http//www.charteroak.edu/Current/Academics/Degr
  eeBasics/cpsforms.cfm

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Resources cont.

• If you dont already have a resume, you will find
  websites listed in your Student Handbook that
  provide tips and a framework for developing one.
• Your rationale should be written with care using
  proper grammar and correct spelling. This
  document should represent you well to the
  faculty. www.eTutoring.com will review your
  rationale for writing mechanics issues, free of
  charge.
• Your Academic Counselor is your greatest
  informational resource on how to plan your CPS.